


New Musical Express 25/2/2016

by Ambivalency



Category: The Libertines
Genre: (their romantic relationship is a thing of the past), Fluff, Future, Kissing, M/M, NME awards, You're my Waterloo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-15
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 19:03:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4576185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ambivalency/pseuds/Ambivalency
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He knew that some people, mostly fans, suspected what the song was really about, but he hadn't expected to see it alluded to in the goddamn NME.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Musical Express 25/2/2016

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this](http://1ibertine.tumblr.com/post/126613788333/i-just-watched-the-infamous-2004-nme-awards).

At this point a peck on the lips was basically platonic.  
When you've had someone's tongue in your mouth countless of times anything less than that isn't very exciting.  
Unless you're The NME of course.

 __ **Life could be so gay**  
[picture]  
Doherty, 36 (left), and Barât, 37 (right), sharing a passionate kiss during the awards last night.  
  
Carl rolled his eyes. 

_Ever since the beginning there's been speculation about the exact nature of the pair's relationship, but it has never been officially confirmed that they were anything but good friends._

He frowned. 'Good friends' was almost insulting. Carl had dozens of 'good friends'. He only had one Peter.

_The unexpected kiss happened after the band accepted the award for best album, and in true Libertines fashion recited a poem, much like they had[12 years ago](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki9zcBdBJhA).  
After that things took a different turn when, right before they walked off stage, Barât leaned in towards Doherty, who mirrored the action and then pressed their lips together, like it was the most natural thing in the world. For a few seconds you could have heard a pin drop, then the audience erupted in applause._

There was a link to their 2004 acceptance speech in the article. He wondered if the journalist who had written this was a fan.  
He was starting to feel self concious, the article made it all sound more dramatic than it was. He had just wanted Peter to know how much it all meant to him. Carl had been happy and drunk and it had just felt right. The kiss hadn't been a big deal, just a small gesture of affection.  
Maybe on some level he had wanted to convey that he didn't care what anybody thought of them.  
Guess he was paying for that now.

_The song that the band performed at the awards,'You're my Waterloo', is not a new song, but were in fact written in the late '90s, a couple of years after Barât and Doherty first met. It has been re-recorded for the new allbum, and with it's new sound, the song fits well._  
_YMW has been described as 'a song of brotherhood', but as the two front men lock gazes on stage and Doherty sings about 'the only lover I had who slept with a knife', you get the feeling that whoever came up with that description just didn't have the guts to write down their true impression._  
_It is undoubtedly about the duo, but certainly not about fraternal affection._

Carl almost choked on his breakfast.  
He knew that some people, mostly fans, suspected what the song was really about, but he hadn't expected to see it alluded to in the goddamn NME.

He remembered when they were going to record it and he had asked Peter if he couldn't do a take. Peter had refused, insisting that it would be 'weird'.

"Why would it be weird?"

"It's personal, you don't even know who it's about!"

Carl hadn't actually considered that it could be inspired by a real human being, he had just assumed that it was something Peter had made up. Not that he was going to let that on.

"I could! How do you know?" He argued.

"Because if you did, you wouldn't want to sing it"

Carl had started to feel uneasy by then. 

"Why, is it about someone I hate?"

"Sometimes I think you do."

"So I know her?"

"Carlooos", Peter had sighed, "How can you be so thick?"

"What!?"

"There's no _her_ "

At this point he was both uncomfortable and jealous.

"So it's about a bloke? That I know?"

"Yeah" Peter answered softly.

"You're right. I don't want to sing it anymore" he scoffed. 

"Are you jealous?" Peter tilted his head, there was an amused glint in his eye.

"Fuck off" Carl retorted and lit a cigarette. Maybe he didn't have the right to be upset, but he couldn't help it, could he?

Peter was quiet for a while, just watching him, then he started singing.

_"You'll never fumigate the demons, no matter how much you smoke"_ Carl snorted and closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall.

 _"Just say you love me, for three good reasons, and I'll throw you the rope"_ It was beautiful. He was a sucker for bittersweet shit like this, that's why he had wanted a shot at it in the first place.

 _"You don't need it - 'cause you are the survivor, of more than one life"_ When he opened his eyes again Peter, who was staring straight at him, smiled slyly. It felt like a challenge.

 _"And you're **the only** lover I had - who ever slept with a knife"_ Carl could have sworn he felt his heart stop. Then he started coughing.

"You. You bastard!" he spluttered indignantly.

"Me?" Peter said with wide eyes "You're the one who wanted to sing a love song to yourself!"  
Then they had both broken down laughing.

Now, the kiss that had followed _that conversation_ had been passionate, Carl could feel his face heating up just thinking about it.  
Maybe he should try to concentrate on something else.  
Usually old memories like this made him feel warm and happy, but sometimes they stung. He wasn't in the mood to discover what else would resurface if he continued his stroll down memory lane.

He finished reading and shut the laptop, without bothering to check twitter or any other social media.  
That wasn't his problem, that was FutureCarl's problem.  
He didn't worry about what Edie or Eli would think about the picture. The kids loved Peter and he knew Edie got it, she had been at the awards last night.  
He wasn't sure if she knew about the song though. Another issue for FutureCarl. 

He checked his phone.  
A couple of missed calls from last night, a few silly texts from friends and... two from Peter.

 **P:** Can you believe the NME [link]  
**P:** That's about the least passionate kiss in the history of Doherty/Barât

Carl rolled his eyes again, of course that would be his main problem with the article.

 **C:** Yeah, thanks. I saw that already  
**C:** Do you want to correct them or what?  
**C:** Maybe provide them with a top 10?

 **C:** You know that I'm joking right  
**C:** Peter!  
**P:** Relax. I know :)  
**C:** Good

 **P:** She had a point about the song though  
**C:** Anyone with two brain cells would understand it's not about brotherhood  
**P:** Mm. But she implied it's about you  
**C:** It is about me  
**P.** And it doesn't bother you if everybody knows that?  
**C:** No, I don't care about that any more  
**P:** Good

Carl was just about to turn the phone off when it buzzed again.

 **P:** I love you  
**C:** I love you too


End file.
